The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-11-18
lST. PETERS BLAZE.
A DISASTROUS FIRE WHICH COZ
sUMED TWO BLOCKS.
The Scene one Of Wild Confusion, Result
ing in Great Los.
Notes and Incidents.

Saturday night about $50 FIRE was dis
covered in the barn belonging to the
Northwestern hotel. The alarm was
ltRRsdibBtsly sqngdsd and people from
fiocked 10 the scene Of the confagration.
From the time the blaze was first dis
covered it was but the work of a mo-
ment for the flames to burst forth from
every crack and creyice and the adjoin-
ing buildings were soon in bright
blaze. The barn in which the FIRE ig-
nited was almost directly in the rear of
Amundson's dry goods store. The wind
was blowing violently from the south
east which carried the flames directly to
the FIRST National Bank, Anderson's
store, A. J. Lamberton'sstore and other
buildings. In less time than it takes to
recount the circumstances these build
ings were all in q blaze, and dispatch
was Immediately sent for aid from Man
kato. The summons was Immediately
responded to from our boys, and the
work they did after arriving upon the
grounds is highly commended by the
Sc. Peterites.
The inhamable material with which
the buildings were filed, coupled with
the high wind, furnished food for the
rapid spreading of the flames, and in
less than three hours from the discovery
of the fire two blocks of buildings had
been rendered to ashes.
In Mr.. A. J. LAmberton's building
two or three small kegs of powder were
stored. This Mr.. L. knew and he used
every endeavor to get them out. He
even went so far as to gather one can IN
his hands which was so heated as TO
burn his palms. The others, however,
could not be secured and the explosions
which occurred were frightful. Young
Charley Lamberton was in the second
story of the building at the time the
first explosion occurred, and he sprang
from the first window TO the ground be-
Low without injury. Young Mr.. Dona-
hover, OF the First National Bank, with
one ofthe clerks, was IN the building
at the time, and they both aver that
they expected the walls to fall upon
them, so loud and terrible was the re-
port. But fortunately they both es-
capped without injury. The concussion
was so great as to break every window
in the buildings opposite, and to blow
the front out of Lamberton's store 1t
was a very narrow escape for Mr.. LAM
berton, as he had not been out of the
store more than minute when the
whole front gave way with a terrible
crash.
From the most reliable source posi-
BILE, a FREE Press reporter cannot figure
out the loss to reach 100000. Of course
the reports are very conflicting, and un-
til matters are settled down to some
thing like normal condition nothing
like an accurate accounting can be made.
Mr.. A. ]. Lamberton will lose over
insurance about $4,000.
The First National Bank Will lose, on
fixtures, 81 800; building insured for
about full value.
Oliver Anderson, dry goods, viii lose
about 81, 800 above insurance, which
leaves him badly crippled.
The loss of Commercial House, over
insurance, 5000.
C. F. Johnson will come out short
81 800.
C. Amundson had his stock injured to
the extent of something like 5000.
VIM. Klein loses, above insurance,
$1,000
Aside from these there are score OF
parties whose houses are small, and the
aggregate cannot be figured out more
than indicated above.